Don't read this

Something that's always baffled me is why people deliberately seek out movie, game or whatever spoilers and then blame the person responsible for the inevitable spoiling having revealed key details of the plot or solution. An all too common occurrence sadly, yet the letter below written to Zero magazine is in another league. I've never known someone to completely wash their hands of a product in protest at having ruined the experience for themselves. Biscuit taken. No crumbs.

Angry from Wiltshire

As a reader of your magazine since the first issue, it's hard for me to believe that Zero could do such a mean and irresponsible thing. I refer, of course, to Crystal Tips in the March issue. Long before Horrorsoft went under I ordered a copy of Elvira, so imagine my surprise to find a complete solution published over a week before the game was eventually released on the ST. My order has now been cancelled and, according to my dealer, so have a lot of others. Everyone makes a big issue out of pirated games, but this sort of thing does nothing to deter it and helps software houses to lose money, when a lot of people like myself would have bought it. I'm in favour of hints and tips after a game has been around for a while, but feel this was a bit over the top. Accolade has been informed of my views and I look forward to hearing what they think about this.

D. Clifford, Swindon, Wiltshire.

Honestly, some people. As I've said a million times before... "You don't have to look, do you?" Have you no willpower? When you were five and something scary happened on Doctor Who, did you sit there and take it all in? No, of course you didn't, you hid behind the sofa and came out when it was finished! So do the same with cheats - pretend they're not there. And if you really don't think you can stop yourself peeking, you can always rip out the offending pages and burn them. (And then send in for a back issue once you do get stuck). Ed.

Zero issue 20 (June 1991)

D. Clifford is the sole reason we have to endure so many pointless spoiler warnings prior to engaging with written, audio or video presentations of games, TV shows, novels, plays, movies and so on. It's also your fault plenty of people attempt to review media without touching upon any spoilers at all for fear of offending some delicate flower who can't grasp the concept of ex post facto analysis. Surely a review without spoilers is a trailer? We already have a word for that and it's not review, it's trailer.

And what's piracy got to do with publishing gaming hints and tips? Elvira is less worthy of a genuine, real-money purchase because a guide for it exists? May as well get the dodgy copy then and save a few quid. Horrorsoft brought it on themselves after all by not casting a hex upon Zero to prevent them from discussing the game outside of their review.

If you sneaked a peek at this post prior to thoroughly digesting your June 1991 copy of Zero and it's diminished your enjoyment of said publication in any way, I'm not remotely sorry. You were forewarned. Ah, oh, umm…